Critic Reviews

For fans of the series DOA4 is everything you could possibly want from a next-gen iteration of the game; a revamped fighting system, faster game play, and enough T&A to satisfy even the most jaded otaku. Newcomers may still wonder what all the fuss is about and more than likely not change their opinion of the game either way. Regardless DOA 4 is a great addition to the Xbox 360 lineup and it is filling the gap nicely in this time of slow releases. If you are a fan then you owe it to yourself to pick up this title; you will not be disappointed. Easily the best fighting game of 2005, even if it did make it by just one day.

There isn't much to question about Dead or Alive 4. It is, without a doubt, a perfect blend of everything the series has introduced over the past few years with enough new elements to reel both novice and expert players into the ring. It's hard to call DOA4 the life work of Team Ninja, with the excellent Ninja Gaiden getting in the way, but it certainly isn't far behind. Fans of fighters owe it to themselves to play Dead or Alive 4 on the 360, and while the difficulty may turn off some fans outside of the genre, the game is very much one of the best things to be had on the Xbox 360 right now.

YES, THE DEAD OR Alive games typically get labelled as "the game with bounciness" - and having a volleyball spinoff title hardly helps break the perception that the female roster of characters seems to cast the game in a light of being marketed towards dirty old men and adolescent boys exclusively. To its credit however, DOA4 remains completely unapologetic towards this notion, and remains true to the anime-esque style of previous titles, whilst raising the bar on the hallmarks of Team Ninjas games - furious gameplay, and stellar visuals.

The Dead Or Alive series has a proud heritage that began in the arcades and moved swiftly onto the consoles. As such, Dead Or Alive 4 has a lot to live up to - and I'm delighted to say that even the highest expectations have been exceeded on every front. Old favourites unite with several new characters, a host of varied and interactive levels await your battling pleasure, there are more modes than you can wave a clenched fist at and the big, gravity-defying boobs are jigglier than ever before. Yes, this game truly has everything!

Compared to other fighting games, the Dead or Alive series — despite its enormous sales — receives a lot of hate. Just the other day, some message board bum named GUTS had the following to say: "Dead or Alive 4 is a button-masher, just like all the rest. I beat a random guy (I think he was a pro) by rubbing the controller across my face! Then I went to the gym and worked out! My girlfriend sure is hot!"

Dead or Alive 4 is an amazing feat for a fighting game. Many may say the graphics aren’t as good as they should be, but this is the style of DoA. It’s supposed to have a slight anime vibe to it, and it works to perfection for this title. The action, visuals, story, and sound blend together to make the most complete fighting game in years, and any real fighting fan knows Dead or Alive is no longer the game with all style and no substance. Fans know DoA now has the best of both worlds in regards to fighting games. Other than some wishful thinking and the smallest of nit picks, I seriously can’t think how the amazing developers in Team Ninja could have made a better arcade fighting game. All hail the new king of fighters!

Team Ninja’s latest fighter sneaks in at the last minute. Originally scheduled for the Xbox 360 launch, Dead or Alive 4 has been one of the most eagerly anticipated Xbox 360 titles. Known for constantly setting a new bar on graphics (not to mention the scantily-clad, voluptuous female fighters), Dead or Alive 4 arrives on the Xbox 360 in fine form. It may not redefine the franchise, but it provides enough changes, nuances and eye candy to make it instantly recommendable.

Knowing it was always going to look sexier than any Dead or Alive that had gone before, did Team Ninja decide to try and rush out a shallow bimbo of a title in the hope that gamers wouldn’t see past the amazing eye-candy? Hell no! This is Team Ninja we’re talking about and in the past they’ve done some great work on the previous DoA titles and the brilliant Ninja Gaiden, and in DoA 4 they’ve not let us down giving us a subtle, involving and very well-balanced fighting game.

First and foremost, I will open by saying that this is not a review from a hardcore (DOA2 pun intended) Dead or Alive fan, nor an elite fighting game master. While I'm no slouch at a little melee combat, fighting games are usually diversions or a game to play when friends come by. For the most part I have been won over by stunning graphics and a satisfying amount of depth.

The highly anticipated Dead or Alive 4 is finally here. After various incarnations such as Dead or Alive Xtreme Beach Volleyball, Dead or Alive Ultimate and DOA2: Hardcore, we have all been anxious to see what surprises are in store for the official fourth installment. Since its debut as an arcade game, Dead or Alive has become a videogame classic, making appearances on the Saturn, PSone, Dreamcast, PS2 and the Xbox. It's always evolving and it's only fitting that this fourth installment is released on the powerhouse known as the Xbox 360. It does take advantage of the console's might but it certainly doesn't push it to its limits.

Dead or Alive is back, bigger, badder and bouncier than ever. After last year’s remakes of the first two in the series Tecmo have finally given us an all new instalment and all the familiar faces are back along with a few new ones including the much hyped Spartan-458. Tecmo’s flagship series has arrived on the Xbox 360 with a bang and a good few wallops.

Dead or Alive 4 has some of the nicest graphics and visual effects I've seen so far in the Xbox 360's initial lineup. It's similar to DOA Ultimate, with Aerosmith tunes, Halo's Spartan-458 unlockable and new counters/features galore. The only let down was the end boss, which is basically like Virtua Fighter's Dural, only she looks like Kasumi and is called Alpha-152...

There isn't much to complain about here. Besides some annoying deaths (like when I'm pushed up against a wall), occasional online lag, and cheap characters (Zack and Jann Lee, I'm talking about you), Dead or Alive 4 is one of the best games I've played on the Xbox 360. Whatever Team Ninja did during those weekly delays, I'm happy about, because the final product is exceptional.

It’s been delayed numerous times worldwide. At first, it was an anticipated launch title. Then, a game one could get a few days after securing their 360. It moved back further and further, until finally it was pushed back until days after Christmas. It made numerous fans frustrated, and numerous potential fans give up on getting a 360 for Christmas. After all of the delays, Team Ninja’s Dead or Alive 4 has arrived—but was it worth the wait?

Since the first time I played Dead or Alive 2: Hardcore on the PlayStation 2, I have been hooked on the series. I find that this fighting game offers many things that other fighters at the time didn’t offer, such as multi-tiered fighting levels and a variety of different costumes for characters, not just clothes painted different colors. Since that time I have played every Dead or Alive game and own just about all of them that are out for current gaming systems. When I saw Dead or Alive 4, I knew that this was one of the games that I had to get when I purchased a new Xbox 360.

Dead or Alive 4 was one of the most anticipated Xbox 360 launch period titles and despite the game's release being delayed, it doesn't disappoint. Graphically the game is superb and thanks to the new counter system the game plays better than any other title in the DOA series. In fact you could argue it's as good as any 3D fighting game to date. Definitely a must own title for the Xbox 360.

Fighting games are rarely this good and DOA 4 is damn close to perfection, but there is significant lag online and few other minor issues that keep it from being a perfect fighting game. This is easily the best game currently available for the 360 and one that everyone should own, especially those with Live Gold.

Due out at the launch of the Xbox 360 and later delayed, Tomonbu Itagaki’s Dead or Alive 4 was already creating buzz among fans and skeptics alike. Even before the launch of the Xbox 360, the game had generated discussion since it was announced that Bungie was going to play a key role in the game’s main story by introducing a new character.

If you’re a fan of the genre or just looking for something to really show off your Xbox 360 console, Dead Or Alive 4 is a must have game. There’s nothing incredibly new or earth shattering here, but you can absolutely enjoy it for the fighting game that it is.

For the past several years, publisher Tecmo along with brainchild Tomonobu Itagaki and his genius crew of game developers have continued to break new ground in the fighting game realm. Back in 2001, when Microsoft introduced their new console to the world, Itagaki-san and gang were a step ahead of the crowd with their release of Dead or Alive 3 to accompany the console’s launch. It featured never-before-seen visuals, jaw-dropping combos, and a slew of new characters including the new fan-favorite Hitomi.

It feels like ages ago when we had the honor of sitting down with Team Ninja’s master creator, Tomonobu Itagaki, during E3 2005 as he whet our appetite for his latest fighter, currently in development at that time for the Xbox 360. During that meeting he told us about his unyielding goals and his determination in creating the most spectacular fighter of all time. After a few delays, Dead or Alive 4 is finally here and the extra effort and die hard persistence of one of the business’s most talented creators has delivered nothing short of our high expectations. Dead or Alive 4 is yet another amazing title in the ever growing library of Itagaki-san’s masterpieces.

I only one major complaint and that’s the last boss Alpha-152. While not the cheapest boss in a fighter I’ve ever nearly broken my controller over, she does have some angering abilities. Having a fight end in three moves (head blast, spinning kicks, locks your head and shoulder and pounds your head in) is more annoying then challenging.

Don't get me wrong, DOA4 is not a perfect fighting game by any means. Soul Calibur and Virtua Fighter are both head and shoulders above it in terms of sheer gameplay. It's the online aspect of DOA4 that gives it massive replay value. If you don't have Xbox Live, I probably wouldn't even recommend anything more than a rental. If you do have Xbox Live, however, it can be a hugely rewarding game with near unlimited replay.

Dead or Alive 4 is probably your only reason for buying a 360 if you want to compete in a solidly built and innovative online experience. Nothing comes close to matching the kind of features that Tecmo has come up with for Xbox Live. While fighting games aren't as important as they were, say, ten years ago, the lush graphics and vastly improved gameplay should be enough for you to pick this up from day one.

Simply put, Team Ninja deserves a truckload of praise for their work on this game. I've no doubt they could have pasted the DoA 3 engine into a game with sharper graphics and sold millions of copies. Rather than do that, they took a serious look at their game and committed themselves to making it better. The end result is not only the first next-gen fighting game, but one that has set the bar for everything that will come in its wake. No longer can gamers look at Dead or Alive as a series more interested in cheesecake characters and bouncing boobs (although, they're definitely still interested in that—some of the ending movies have to be seen to be believed…). While the game may not be as deep as Virtua Fighter 4, there's no denying it's a lot more involved and deep than previous iterations. Dead or Alive 4 isn't just another pretty face in the crowd—there's some depth lurking beneath the lovely veneer.

DOA 4 is an excellent addition to the current roster of games that have appeared since launch. It offers fast paced fighting with some familiar and new faces and it certainly looks very pretty indeed. The art style of the characters remains the same as in previous iterations of the game which is heavily influenced by anime (Japanese Animation). The core game mechanics feel fluid and fairly balanced; as no single character seems to dominate I guess time will tell if there is a tier system for the characters when the experts have had more time to experiment. Each character has their own style and level of difficulty to learn and it is here where players can invest the most time.

Dead or Alive games used to be all about huge, bouncing breasts and overly simplistic, easy to pick up gameplay. No longer. DOA shall henceforth be known for huge, bouncing breasts and a refined and deep fighting system. If you were a DOA fan before, nothing should stop you from enjoying Team Ninja’s latest installment; just be prepared to put in significantly more time mastering the more complex gameplay elements. Though, your efforts will be greatly rewarded this time around.

Although the story line is repetitive and only mildly rewarding, it does add to the longevity of the game. Take it online and you’ve got several hours more of fun. Novices are likely to get battered initially and although it’s fun to play around with the different characters, it’s a far better idea to stick with one and perfect him or her. There are over 45 achievements to unlock. If you are good enough to unlock them all, you should take an ad out in a National newspaper and tell everyone because it’s quite an accomplishment. With the humorous exception of the “lose 5 matches in a row” award. Not quite the “achievement” that Microsoft had in mind. Overall, a truly Next Gen title that is hopefully a sign of things to come as this console matures.

All in all Team Ninja has crafted a beautiful game that stands on it's own against all the competition. DOA4 features a solid fighting engine with proper balance and unlike other big fighting games released in the last year DOA4 is online. The game will provide you with many hours of entertainment and if you just let the game take hold of you you'll easily obtain the '100 Hours Played' achievement.

The fact that my 10 hour play time achievement badge popped up way before I started writing this review says two things: 1) I'm thorough and 2) I enjoy Dead or Alive 4. If you want to make an issue over the whole ‘boobs physics’ side of things then you're welcome to, but personally it didn't even cross my mind as something that should be even mentioned in the review until our editor mentioned the juvenility of it just before I started typing up this review. I can say, hand on heart, I've assessed the game purely as a fighting game, and as that alone it stands up with the best of them. It may not be as deep as some of the superhuman Virtua Fighter 4 players might like, but it's got plenty more moves and techniques than I'll ever use. Players without others to play against and no Xbox Live Gold account may want to stay away altogether from DOA4, but those with either would do very well to have a look.

With characters that look like Angelina Jolie squeezed into fetish wear, it's easy to forget that D.O.A. 4 is a kick ass martial arts fighting game. But it isn't just the best looking brawler around—it's also the deepest, as designers Team Ninja have complemented the game's responsive controls with hundreds of cool combo moves and tons of unlockable characters, outfits, and arenas—including everything from a busy Vegas street to a dinosaur petting zoo. Even better, it has numerous gameplay options, including four-player online tag-team battles and an often hilarious Story mode that'll have you fighting for honor, revenge, and…uh, lettuce. (Hey, we don't make 'em, we just play 'em.)

In Dead or Alive 4, those who approach a fight with the notion to counter are in for a rude and highly bruised awakening. The speed of combat has quickened and the window for countering attacks has shrunk dramatically, making it extremely difficult to turn the tides of a fight through a reversal. What once was a battle of counter maneuvers has now become a game of precision. The series’ identity is beginning to change, but only for the better. It is now striking a greater balance between offensive and defensive strategies. It began as a game with a gimmick. Now it stands as one of the most fully featured fighters on the market.

Team Ninja, in recent years, has become a household name in the gaming world, but with games like Dead or Alive 3 and Ninja Gaiden it really is no surprise. They have realised that their games needed to reach out to hardcore gamers; the type of people who would not stop until everything was unlocked in a game, so of course they added countless hidden objects to keep us all happy. But let’s forget the past and focus on the present. What I mean is, let’s take a look at Team Ninja's latest creation Dead or Alive 4, which is the first fighting game for a next generation console. Let’s just hope it lives up to the hype.

Dead or Alive 4 is deliciously addictive. Avid fans of the series who also happen to be fortunate souls that nabbed a 360 should already have this title in their collection; and if you don't, then perhaps it's time to start re-evaluating your priorities. Regardless of your skill level or gender, this game demands your attention.

Dead or Alive 3 launched with the original Xbox and quickly turned into an institution. We were soon treated to a sidestory in Dead or Alive Xtreme Beach Volleyball, a remake in Dead or Alive Ultimate, and even a new version of Ninja Gaiden that tied into the Dead or Alive storyline. We've finally got a true sequel to the series in Dead or Alive 4 on the Xbox 360. How'd it turn out?

In the fighting game pantheon, Tecmo's Dead or Alive series sits slightly on its own. The first entry was noticed more for its T and A rather than its gameplay or graphics, and its penchant for the consoles less traveled (Dreamcast, Xbox) separated it from the other big names in the genre. Dead or Alive 4 strikes the first blow for next-gen fighters, and much like its predecessor, it's a hit whose effects will likely linger throughout this console generation.

The DOA franchise came into it's own with the releases of DOA 3 and DOA Ultimate for the XBOX. Now comes Dead Or Alive 4 all shiny and pretty for the Xbox 360. At first glance, which turns into a second (for the graphics are spectacular), the game seems almost identical to Ultimate, which is partially correct. It's not the deepest fighting game out there, but still holds it's own in the ring of all others out there vying for the heavyweight title.

The Dead Or Alive series has been the fighter all other fighters look up to on the Xbox. Not so much for the fighting, which I've always found to be fun, but has always had its critics, but for it's appearance. It has always looked phenomenal, pushing graphics and animation to the limits of what's possible on a console. So when the 'next gen' xbox came out, it seemed natural for the console to come out with the flagship fighter showing off the machines power.

After all the talk, the previews, the revelations, and the hands-on impressions with in-progress builds of the next iteration of Team NINJA's bread and butter franchise, the time to put up or shut up is here. We've played the final, retail version of Tecmo's moneymaker, and the question can finally be asked: Is Dead or Alive 4 everything it's cracked up to be?

Team Ninja might work in mysterious and confusing ways, but the well-known Japanese development team always delivers tough, beautiful, and compelling games. Dead or Alive 3, Ninja Gaiden, and its re-make, Ninja Gaiden Black have all spoken to and been targeted to hardcore players willing to put in extra time to reap the riches found deep inside them. And now Dead or Alive 4, the team's first creation on Xbox 360, takes the fighting series to new, divergent levels with Tomonobu Itagaki's infamous brand of knockout graphics and a much more serious level of fighting.

Just like this review, Dead or Alive 4 was a little late to support the launch of the Xbox360. Especially in Japan, where fighting games are extremely popular, this toned down the enthusiasm a bit. In our parts the genre is less popular, but the beautiful screenshots and movies that kept coming out did manage to warm us up for DoA4. Next to Soul Calibur and of course Tekken, this is still one of the most popular fighting series in gameland. And this episode won't change a thing to that.

The fighting is more challenging, the characters more varied, and plenty of modes are available. A robust online mode is available, but playing solo won’t leave you bored after a couple of play-throughs. It’s a fun game for getting a group of guys together to play against each other. At first DOA4 feels like more of the same, but as you play more you discover the subtle differences. Fans of the series will enjoy DOA 4, and those curious about the series would be wise to take a look at it.

Dead or Alive 4 is an easy game to recommend. It has the most evolved gameplay system, without loosing the 'pick up and play' feel every beat 'em up should have. With great level design, amazing graphics, decent sound and undoubtedly the best online service seen in a beat 'em up so far this is a highly accomplished game and the most complete package in the series so far. For anyone who is a big fan of 3D beat 'em ups, this is a must buy. For those who haven't played a beat 'em up in a while, this may be just the ticket to getting you back into the genre.

At the end of the day, Dead or Alive 4 is an excellent choice for anyone who enjoys fighting games to any degree. The title has the rare distinction of being largely devoid of any real flaws, short of nitpicking the graphics or remarking about how similar it is to DOA 3. Dead or Alive 4 has enough new content in it to set it apart, and although the gameplay itself is liberally borrowed from the previous title, it also remains the same solid fighting engine and definitely doesn't feel like a rehash as much as it does a resemblance. The online play is largely lagless and fairly balanced in that gamers of any skill level can pick it up and have some fun, and the same can really be said about the game as a whole. Dead or Alive 4 looks good, plays great, and has a stable of features that other titles in the genre can't even approach; what more coaxing could a gamer want?

Dead or Alive 4 is a worthy addition to the series that satisfies the needs of skilled gamers and newcomers alike. While initially the overly difficult story mode might be a turn off for some, if you manage to take the time to learn how to play this game it can offer endless hours of entertainment. The fast paced brutal action of the Dead or Alive series has made its way to the Xbox 360, and we can easily say that it contains enough depth (and partial nudity!) to appease the most demanding fighting veterans.

Dead or Alive 4 is a really impressive addition to an alreadyimpressive series. This is definitely my favorite outing since therelease of Ninja Gaiden: Black last year. I can’t wait to see what TeamNinja is capable of when it releases its next Xbox 360 project. Onlytime can tell, but judging from the quality of DOA4, it’ll be worth thewait.

Fashionably late to the Xbox 360 launch, Dead or Alive 4 is an impressive feat of a fighting game that boasts some excellent, fast-paced action in addition to terrific good looks. Best of all, you can play it online over Xbox Live, virtually guaranteeing you'll find tough, unpredictable competition at any hour. Back when the old Xbox first debuted in 2001, Tecmo's Dead or Alive 3 served as one of the system's showcases, at least as far as its graphical horsepower was concerned. However, 2004's Dead or Alive Ultimate took a much bigger step forward, mainly because it introduced the ability to compete against other players online. Dead or Alive 4 is similar to that game (right on down to the near-identical menu system), but it adds several new characters, new moves and abilities for returning characters, and a beautiful new coat of paint to all the proceedings.

Dead or Alive 4 is a great game, but it’s also hard not to be slightly disappointed with how the focus has shifted. Gone are the days of the accessible fighting game that was easy to pick up and play; Itagaki has made a fighting game that rewards practice and skill. It’s like the reverse of selling out, with the product being tailored to a smaller, niche demographic. There is a lot of fun to be had with the game if the effort is put in, and the difficulty of the game will assure that mastering the game will provide a great deal of value. And if this is how you like your fighting games, you will be pleased to know that Dead or Alive 4 is now one of the most refined fighting games on the market. However, if it’s a quick play or a party session with some friends you’re after, you’re probably better off sticking with Tekken 5.

Dead or Alive 4 is the latest installment in Tecmo’s aging fighting franchise that goes back so far I can barely remember playing the original on my Sega Saturn. Perhaps a little hypno regression therapy might help. But that was way back before I was actually writing game reviews. It was the Dreamcast version of DOA2 that sparked my first DOA review and that was eventually followed by more DOA fighting and even some sexy beach volleyball on the Xbox.

Team Ninja is an important advocator of Microsoft consoles. They supported the original Xbox until the very end with high quality games. Dead or Alive 3 had a successful beginning when the Xbox launched in 2001. Team Ninja followed up with a spin-off of the DOA franchise with volleyball on Zack Island. This title, Dead or Alive: Xtreme Beach Volleyball, was viewed in multiple ways as both hardcore fans disregarded the series as being serious anymore and casual fans ate it up. The next project for Team Ninja was in the form of Ninja Gaiden that earned several Game of the Year awards from various publications. Dead or Alive: Ultimate represented the last project for the Xbox outside of the Hurricane Packs for Ninja Gaiden and Ninja Gaiden Black.

In the end, Dead or Alive 4 is to fighting games what Halo 2 was to first person shooters. I'm not saying this game's as good as Halo 2, because I don't think it is, nor do I think that this will reach the level of popularity that Master Chief and crew have gotten to. What I mean is that DOA4 will bring fighting games to at least a good chunk of the 360-playing masses and force them to stop button mashing and learn more advanced techniques, while making online play a breeze. Meanwhile, the hardcore players will still scoff and wind up sticking with Street Fighter 3, Soul Calibur 3, or other games (and just consider the lack of online play in those games a worthwhile loss). Even though DOA4's fighting system still doesn't quite have the depth of its competitors, it's "good enough" for most players and will likely become an online favorite anyway.

The legs are long, the sex is gratuitous, and the violence is very, very violent. DOA 4 is definitely firing on all pistons. Still, for a series with the word "alive" on the box cover, these characters all seem kind of plastic, hollow, heartless, and downright bloodless. No kidding. Sometimes it's like watching two mannequins, albeit two supremely sexy mannequins, trying to clobber the Styrofoam out of each other.

Overall, DOA4 is the first great fighter for the Xbox 360 based on the strength of the gorgeous graphics, deeper fighting system, and fun offline modes alone. If/when that online play's fixed, we'll have something truly special on our hands.

It seems fitting to end this review mentioning Spartan-458, the female killing machine that comes straight from the realm of Halo. As entirely mismatched as Spartan and the DOA characters may seem (calling her a female doesn’t lend any extra sense), her addition to the game is welcomed and fairly enjoyable. She comes equipped with her own level (complete with some familiar music) and she plays out like a mish mash of some of the heavier characters in the roster. She can take quite a bit to master, but can definitely be a deadly force in the right hands. Her addition along with new characters like La Mariposa add a bit more color to the series and allow long time fans to drool just a bit more. With a fully featured online component and improved fighting mechanics, Dead or Alive 4 is definitely a must have for fighting game fans who were lucky enough to acquire one of those elusive Xbox 360s.

If you’ve never liked the series, DOA4 won’t change your mind, and maybe it shouldn’t – it’s not all that different from DOAU, after all. Fans of Itagaki’s “jujitsu-jousting” philosophy, on the other hand, can comfortably mark DOA4 as the most refined version of their beloved fighter to date.

When the original Xbox launched in 2001, Tecmo and Team Ninja released Dead or Alive 3, remembered by many as a great looking fighting game that showcased the Xbox’s power, but was noticeably less deep in comparison to games like the Tekken and Virtua Fighter series. The recent release of the Xbox 360 has brought Team Ninja back for another round with Dead or Alive 4, undoubtedly the best DOA game yet. While DOA4 doesn’t have the same wow factor as DOA3 had on the Xbox, the refinements to the gameplay are significant this time around, and the added depth and increased speed makes for a more rewarding experience.

Dead or Alive 4 is the kind of landmark game that can really set a series up for the future, and for this particular franchise, it was a long time coming. We knew Team Ninja had it in them thanks to DOA Ultimate, but this game marks the successful realization of potential. There are only good things ahead for this series, which was once thought of as third-rate compared to the Tekkens, Street Fighters, And Virtua Fighters of the world. Welcome to the big leagues, Dead or Alive.

In the end, Dead or Alive 4 is to fighting games what Halo 2 was to first-person shooters. I'm not saying this game's as good as Halo 2, because I don't think it is, nor do I think that this will reach the level of popularity that Master Chief and crew have gotten to. What I mean is that DOA4 will bring fighting games to at least a good chunk of the 360-playing masses and force them to stop button mashing and learn more advanced techniques, while making online play a breeze. Meanwhile, the hardcore players will still scoff and wind up sticking with Street Fighter 3, Soul Calibur 3, or other games (and just consider the lack of online play in those games a worthwhile loss). Even though DOA4's fighting system still doesn't quite have the depth of its competitors, it's "good enough" for most players and will likely become an online favorite anyway.

I haven't been in a fight since I was in college, which is kind of surprising as I like to get drunk and make fun of people. However, if the incredibly painful looking blows and throws of Dead or Alive 4 are any indication, my lack of brawling is definitely a good thing. As opposed to Brad Wong, my own drunken boxing involves a lot more falling down and a lot less getting up. Round 3 is when I get stitches.

Dead or Alive 4 is a game that few people take seriously. First of all, the fighting game genre doesn't have the same status as an RTS or FPS game would have when it comes to strategy. Even fans of fighting games such as Virtua Fighter 4 or Soul Calibur II look down upon the Dead or Alive series. They see Dead or Alive as a high-speed button masher with overly powerful holds/counters and more flash than substance. Virtua Fighter 4 and Soul Calibur II are supposedly more technical games requiring careful thought along with skilled hand-eye coordination.

As an overall experience DoA4 is thoroughly capable and enjoyable, proving through its latest incarnation that it has certainly evolved into a fighter that can be taken seriously and seen as more than cheap titillation or a T&A simulator for prepubescents. While not as close to perfection as Team Ninja would have everyone believe, there is certainly enough substance to put the series back on track and offer a serious contender to the next round of Virtua Fighter and Tekken games.

Dead or Alive 4 is another successful title in the series, providing a graphically beautiful game. Some nicely tuned animations and highly challenging computer opponents make it worth your coin, no doubt. Although this game is definitely for those fans of the fighting and button mashing genre, don’t be mistaken, this game does requires plenty of skill. Especially to take advantage of the in-depth combos, precise reversal system and to survive more than a few seconds against highly challenging computer opponents who rarely fail to provide you with a hard battle. I recommend this game for fans of this genre and have Xbox live, other wise this game is very frustrating in terms of difficulty and lacks in replay value without its robust online aspect.

Dead or Alive 4 is the kind of game you love to hate. You hate it for its cheap A.I., but you love it for just about everything else. This really isn't a game for everyone, and casual gamers, perhaps even long-time DOA fans, will be turned off by its steep learning curve. But there is a lot to love about Team Ninja's latest, and if you manage to master the ins and outs of the fighting system, you'll be rewarded with plenty of bonus content and more than a few hours of solid, competitive gameplay.

Dead or Alive 4 is truly an awesome fighting game no matter how you look at it. It may have a few technical flaws like unbalanced AI and occasional hanging online but they can be forgivable. Those who are new to the Dead or Alive series would have a difficult time adjusting themselves to the combat system here. At normal setting, the computer plays pretty cheap. But a little practice will get you up to speed. Tecmo’s slight tweaks to the fighting engine make this one smoother, faster, and more dynamic than any of the Dead or Alive games in the past. The announcement of delays is very frustrating, but because of the incredible efforts put into this title, the waiting part has certainly been worthwhile. If you’re looking for a high caliber fighting game for Xbox 360 that delivers great visuals and solid online experience, this is the best one yet.

Whether you should buy this game depends on how much of a fighting game fan you are. If you still play the famous games such as Street Fighter II and don’t mind the lack of variety, then DOA 4 will probably be a good purchase, but for those wanting a meaty game full of different styles of play then elsewhere is where you will find it.

DoA4 really is a very good game, yes it has its problems and problems with the increased difficulty could become a big turn off for a lot of players. But if you persist with DoA4 and become the Master instead of the Apprentice DoA4 truly has a lot to offer you. So don't be shy - give it a try.

It doesn't help that the enemy AI is frighteningly aggressive, and the last boss my be one of the cheapest game characters ever. But once you pick up the tricky feel of the game, DOA 4 is an incredibly polished fighter with a lot of fun online extras and a classic arcade vibe. I experienced my share of lag issues and dropped matches in my time online, but the extras and Achievements on Live are worth the minor imitations.

Overall, Dead or Alive 4 is a breath of fresh air in the FPS and driving world that is the Xbox 360 at the moment. While it is not a huge advancement on the previous Dead or Alive titles, it adds enough features, especially online play, to warrant its worth.
The beautifully rendered backgrounds and balanced combat system will please new entries to the world of DOA and seasoned fighters will soon learn to love the new addition to the Dead or Alive franchise.

Dead or Alive 4 delivers a fun multiplayer experience and a challenging single player story mode. Gameplay delivers as well, creating a very balanced game with room for both new players and veterans alike. This is the kind of game that really shines through Xbox Live, though there are issues with lag when it comes to rooms with more than four players.

It may seem like nothing’s changed at first but on closer inspection you’ll see that DOA has burst out its training bra and into a fully-fledged Wonderbra. The fighting has grown up, with a much more sophisticated, yet annoying, counter system plus the environments now play a bigger part in scraps. We would have liked to seen some more improvements with the character models but generally this is a very competent package that has something for everyone. Perhaps don’t play in front of your girlfriend though!

Dead or Alive fans know what they're getting here, and won't be disappointed. Likewise, more casual fighting fans will love the fact that they can pull off fairly spectacular moves with only a basic understanding of the game. Hardcore fighting fans may turn up their noses at Dead or Alive 4's user-friendly engine, but there's no denying that this game is just loads of fun--especially online.

Whether you should buy this game depends on how much of a fighting game fan you are. If you still play the famous games such as Street Fighter II and don’t mind the lack of variety, then DOA 4 will probably be a good purchase, but for those wanting a meaty game full of different styles of play then elsewhere is where you will find it.

Dead or Alive 4 is the first game I've ever played that has caused rapid hair loss due to stress. I swear I've lost more hair while playing this game than my entire family has in three generations. My thumbs are also blistered, which is about the nerdiest thing I've ever experienced, and I'm pretty sure I'm suffering from a mild case of insomnia thanks to a certain never-ending two-round fight in Time Attack mode. Yes, these are all symptoms of those who have played Team Ninja's uber-hard Dead or Alive 4. But I guess the real question here is: Is it all worth it in the end?

Every console launch lineup should include one fighting game. The Xbox 360 found its way to retail stores without an available fighter, but Dead or Alive 4 arrived soon after, thus providing the type of game that helps sell systems. It's pretty, it's easily accessible and it shows off a lot of the new features of the console even if it doesn't break any new ground in fisticuff systems.

As anyone in the gaming world over the last few years will know, the Dead or Alive games have always been better known for their flashy graphics and reliance on scantily clad woman to draw attention to them. Dead or Alive 2 on the Dreamcast was incredible for its time while the Xbox launch title Dead or Alive 3 still remains one of the best graphical showcases of the machine to this day. The series has always been somewhat of an acquired taste and even the most hardcore fanatic will admit that there are better fighting games around, so at a time where girls in bikini’s aren’t so shocking any more and visually we’re becoming harder and harder to impress, does Dead or Alive 4 have the gameplay to back it up?

There's no denying that Dead or Alive 4 is the best fighting game that you'll find on the Xbox 360. Of course, this is probably due to the fact that it's the only one available. All jokes aside, other developers will have to work hard to make a better fighting game, especially since the guys at Team Ninja worked hard to improve the core fighting system. Although the game still leaves a bit to be desired (a coherent storyline, for example), the gorgeous graphics and intense action definitely make it worth picking up if you're a fan of fighting games.

In the end, Dead or Alive 4 provides for a fun experience on and off line once you get into the countering system. Going online is also fun and isn't laggy. There's even a grading system for your online play that is nice. Hopefully the next DOA can bring in something new to really make it worth the price. Those looking for a fighter on 360 will find that DOA 4 might be able to hold them over for a while but there's not a whole lot separating it from, say, DOA 3.

I've always liked the Dead or Alive games for their accessibility. If a nuanced approach didn't net a win I could always fall back on button mashing. With the fourth iteration of the series (not including Xtreme Beach Volleyball or DOA Ultimate) button mashing falls be the wayside. More accurately, it's driven to the middle of nowhere and left for dead. So if you've only ever been attracted to the top-notch graphics and jiggle factor knowing that you could stumble through with a certain level of "proficiency" you will ultimately be frustrated with the beat down that Dead or Alive 4 serves you with.

All in all, DOA4 is good, but not great. It offers some great button-bashing gameplay, but can sometimes be quite frustrating. Maybe not the greatest of purchases if you don’t have friends, or want a gripping single-player story, but hardcore DOA fans will love it. If for nothing else, it’s worth renting for you and your mates to bash at – and to laugh at Team Ninjas attempt to ‘win’ their crowds with over the top bouncing breasts.

Anyway let’s condense all these thoughts into a conclusion about DOA4. It’s a good game, but nothing more. It’s certainly not great. The single-player game isn’t very well balanced for most gamers and at times seems rather unfair. Many players, including friends of mine have reported lag in the online multiplayer game, though it’s always been smooth for me. I wanted much more from DOA4 than a great graphics demo for the Xbox 360. If you’re a hardcore follower of the franchise I’m sure you’ll really enjoy this game, but as an experience for most gamers it’s not quite what the doctor ordered.

Ultimately Dead or Alive 4 is a disappointment with very little improvement made to the visuals and sound - it doesn't look like a next-generation title. The counter/block system seems to be over-refined with a fine line drawn between whether a counter move is successful or not, and once an opponent is on a roll of combo attacks, players might as well put down the controller and let them do the damage because trying to escape proves to be exceptionally difficult. Bizarrely the highlight of the game is its online lobby for Xbox Live play, with its strange mix of ninja avatars and wacky environments, bringing with it an all-together different experience to Live lobbies. DOA enthusiasts will no doubt enjoy it, but for everyone else this is a very average title from Team Ninja.

Dead or Alive 4 may not be the holy grail of fighters, but Tecmo have still crafted an enjoyable title with plenty of reply value. Unfortunately due to the lacklustre single player performance DOA 4 can really only be recommended to Xbox Live owners, something which is becoming all too common with 360 titles. Maybe with the next Dead or Alive improvements can be made and the series can finally get the widespread recognition it deserves.

I'm sure there are other issues that I haven't personally encountered, but even if there aren't it's still a lot to swallow for someone who's evaluating this particular title. It's even worse for the fact that I love the game so much. I love the mechanics, I love the visuals, I love the combos and counters and I love the bouncing boobies. If this was any other game, I'd rip it apart and move on without a second thought. It's not any other game though, in fact, it's currently my favorite game on the Xbox 360 despite its online issues. But there's no way I could give it the A score I want to. It's definitely better than a C-, but nowhere near the definition of excellence. Perhaps if Team Ninja decides to tighten up their show and release a Hurricane Pack for this game, I'll reevaluate.

DOA4 certainly is not the gimmicky fighter it started out life as. But this latest incarnation is not going to raise the bar for the next generation of Tekkens and the rest of the fighting game crowd. It shows off, but doesn’t have the talent to cash the cheques its looks and potential are writing.

I think the game will appeal to fairly serious fighter gamers as there a huge amount of moves for each character and a lot of highly varied characters and fighting styles to choose from. But its appeal is firmly in the accessibility area as the controls are remarkably simple, and most of the combos equally as simple. If you enjoy the odd fighter and are looking for an enjoyable way to pass an afternoon, I can recommend this game.

Dead or Alive 4 is a game that will remind fans of the series why this is, quite simply, the best game in existence that centers on two people beating kicking the hell out of each other - and most likely it will fail to convert nonbelievers. If you're a DOA fan, then you'll find a lot to love in DOA4; if not, skip this and wait for the true next-gen edition of my favorite fighter.

In summary, then, if you're planning to play this game lots with siblings, housemates, workmates, or whatever - with both of you sitting on the sofa and holding a pad each - then it's a game that's easy to recommend. If you're planning on playing the single-player much, it's an abomination, and you shouldn't touch it with a bargepole; and on Xbox Live, it's simply so flawed as to be unplayable in anything other than a basic 1v1 lobby, which arguably makes it into a pretty poor investment unless you have a friends list teeming with people who want to play. Taking all those aspects into account makes this a hard game to score - so when reading this verdict, those of you who've bothered to also read the review should mentally mark the game up one or even two points if you're a big two-player fan, and mentally disregard the entire product if you're hoping for online or single-player fun. There's little to be had here.

It’s a shame that Dead or Alive appears to be treading water in the beat ‘em up genre while in the volleyball stakes every effort is being made to ensure the sequel’s a success - with refined mechanics and new game modes promising to improve on what was already a competent title. If things carry on as they are for Team Ninja’s scrapper, they it’s likely that the name of its Xbox predecessor - ‘Ultimate’ - will be more fitting than we first realised.

If you like DOA, you’ll like DOA 4. This review wasn’t written for the fans or for the hardcore players. But the game is belligerently difficult for inexperienced players, and considering it’s the 6th version of what is essentially the exact same game, warts and all, no one who’s getting tired of DOA is going to fall in love all over again with this release. If you’re on the fence, rent it, or better yet, wait for Virtua Fighter 5.

The repetitive game play and overall mediocre graphics (come on, their hair doesn’t move realistically, what is this, PS2?) turned me off over time. I would recommend its worth renting, but there is the chance that you might get to the boss and break your XBOX 360. I can’t live with that on my conscience. Do yourself a favor and...